Gravity
by xgravitational
Summary: "One more day," Spoke the muffled voice of the one that harbored me. A patting sound followed soon after and caught me by surprise, causing me to jerk. Flailing my arm to the left, I could feel yet another tremble rock through my mother's womb as my movements jarred at her ribs.
1. Saying Hello

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters mentioned._ This is my take on Breaking Dawn from Renesmee's point of view. Any plot outside of the original storyline is of my own concoction. Please, please, please leave me feedback as this is my first fanfic and I am eager for your responses. If this is taken well, I will happily continue adding to the story. Enjoy.

**1. Saying Hello.  
**

"One more day," Spoke the muffled voice of the one that harbored me. A patting sound followed soon after and caught me by surprise, causing me to jerk. Flailing my arm to the left, I could feel yet another tremble rock through my mothers womb as my movements jarred at her ribs. Instantly, I froze not wanting to cause my mother any more harm. I was stronger than she was and I had to remind myself to be careful not to hurt her. She was my mother and I loved her, just as I could feel that she loved me. Adoration oozed from every inch of me as I listened to the conversation which surrounded me. There was nothing that I enjoyed more than the sound of my mothers voice, each velvety syllable acting as my own personal lullaby and coaxing me closer and closer to sleep. Sleep: This was one daily occurrence that both perplexed and frustrated me. How could I be sure to keep my mother safe if I were asleep and unaware? What if I were to turn wrong and break another of her fragile ribs? I loved my mother - The last thing I wanted to do was cause her pain.

With a sharp crack, all of my thoughts of sleep were removed and replaced with a gnawing fear which was only deepened with my mothers pain-filled gasp which was soon replaced with a blood-curdling shriek of agony. Something was terribly wrong. With her body's contortions, I found myself mixed inside of a web of organs and unable to break free. Frantic to escape, I slashed and bit and attempted to claw my way out but only seemed to be getting more and more tangled. Then I couldn't breathe.

In the seconds to follow, the worried cries and muffled hisses became less and less noticeable as my surrounding began to fade. What once had been my mothers womb, warm and comforting, seemed to have transformed into this black, ominous space that refused to release me from it's grips. Determined to make it out of the darkness I kicked and thrashed, using every appendage I could convince to move in attempts to find my way back. My mother was in trouble, she needed me to protect her. I could not protect her while I was stuck in here. That was when the loudest of all of the cracks echoed through the darkness. I had broken something else, something that was not meant to ever be broken. "Her spine," Choked out a familiar musical voice just before a loud tearing sound broke through the darkness and let in the light.

"Renesmee." Blinking repeatedly, I attempted to remove the mucus and blood from my eyes. I was being moved again, but this time I didn't mind. "Renes. . . mee. So . . . beautiful." I could feel my mothers warm skin against mine, hear her weak heartbeat, smell her intoxicating and welcoming scent. . . taste her warm blood. As soon as my teeth grazed her delicate skin, I knew that I had done something wrong because I was instantly pulled away from my mothers arms and I was being scolded by the musical voice before being handed off to another set of cold hands.

As I was taken down stairs, I found myself surrounded by a group of the most beautiful faces. None of course compared to the beauty of my mother, but all were mesmerizing and seemed more that excited with my presence. A mixture of coos left each set of perfect lips as I was swaddled in something warm and wiped the sticky blood from my small frame. I could still smell the blood and my mouth watered from thirst. Thankfully, the one that held me also held a bottle.

The blood was warm on my lips and I could feel as it moved through my body, warming each limb. As my hunger decreased, the world around me seemed to brighten. Colors became more vibrant, each sound caught my attention, and every smell sparked my curiosity. One smell, in-particular captivated my every thought. This smell was familiar: a mixture of rain, the ocean, and sweat. As the blond lifted me into the air to nuzzle against my cheek, I could finally spot the one that I smelled. He was tall and dark, much different than the others that I had seen during my short time away from my mother. His large body, which seemed to had been vibrating, stopped moving all together as he came to some realization and something inside of me clicked and I knew that this man and all of this magical smell belonged to me.

"Renesmee.." The large man breathed, his voice seeming far too soft to come from someone his size. Instantly, I was acutely aware of the steel that formed in the one that held me with the recognition of the wonderfully scented one just a few feet away. The blonde curled her arm around me and turned her body so that I could no longer see him as she voiced something in a tone that made me squirm with unease.

"Get out of here, _Dog_," Hissed the one who's arms held me captive, sending an uneasy shiver through my small frame. What was she doing? She couldn't send him away.

"Rosalie, please. I'm not going to hurt her." The obvious change in the blonde's stature told me of her unease and concern as a shuffeling sound brought the smell the slightest bit closer. Turning my attention to Rosalie's face once more, I witnessed a war within her golden eyes, something the stranger with the magnificent scent having taken her by surprise. With her defense wavering, her body turned the slightest bit and my heart rejoiced when a set of dark features were visible once more. "_Please_," My wide eyes never left the one before me as I watched a tidal wave of emotions rock through his large build. I was amazed by the gentleness of his voice as he spoke, pleading with the one that held me, then the look of heartbreak which seemed to captivate his features with her hissing disapproval. His eyes, the warmest color of brown soon became clouded with utter despair. It didn't take long for me to decide that his unhappiness was not tolerable.

My pink lips formed a soft 'O' before puckering slightly when I found myself unable to create words as easily as those around me seemed to. I squirmed slightly in the clothes that I had been changed into, them already feeling rather snug around certain areas, until I managed to free my hands and becoming more and more frustrated with every passing second. Removing my eyes from the mysterious man with the magical scent, I placed one of my hands at the base of the blonds neck.

Willing all of my frustrations forward, I tried to the best of my abilities to explain to this woman that, though this man was otherwise a stranger to me, there was no harm. He was safe and I wanted him. Over and over again, I replayed the scenario in my head: The sadness in his eyes, the craving that I felt to be closer, A feeling that I had yet to discover for anyone else outside of my mother. I remembered his scent and how it sang to my every blood cell as if it were a skilled musician and I the awe-stricken audience. "Jacob?" My eyes flashed to her golden eyes as she spoke to no one in particular. Pressing my thoughts forward again, those same garnet colored eyes widened before turning to the man then back to me. I did my best to nod my head before moving my hand from her cold skin and stretching it towards the one that she had called Jacob.

Jacob. I ran the name through my mind a hundred times, making sure that it was imbedded into my memory along with his beautiful face and intoxicating scent as I was finally transferred from one set of arms to another. The blond quickly rushed out the back of the large, brightly lit home and began to dial into a small silver phone. Her tone was shocked and confused as she explained how I had persuaded her to whomever listened on the other line but I didn't care. Finally, I was in the arms of Jacob. My Jacob.

My tiny nose wiggled as I inhaled his sweet scent, Even his warmth had the smell of sunshine and made my mouth water. Nuzzling into the warmth of his chest, I curled tightly against his massive frame - perfectly content where I lay, cradled in his warm and protective embrace. Wrapping my hand against his large thumb, I pushed forth all of the thoughts and memories that I could manage. From the very first thoughts of confusion in my mothers womb to the current string of colors and scents. I showed him every thing; I wanted him to know, and see, everything the way that I had.

My erratic, hummingbird-like heartbeat didn't seem as loud now as it had in my mothers womb. In comparison to the slow, weak, heartbeat of my mother, mine seemed to work at nearly triple the speed. But here in Jacob's arms, with his strong and steady heartbeat acting as my lullaby, my hearts pace didn't seem quite so unusual. Though their tempos were still slightly off, it gave me even more certainty that this man, my Jacob, was meant especially for me and me alone.

I jumped in surprise as Jacobs warm thumb was jerked from my grip shortly after it had been placed between my pink lips and pricked by the sharp, pointed edges of my milky white teeth. Confusion painted across my tiny features as I stared up into his russet face with a perplexed expression. I had done something wrong; I knew enough from my mothers quiet scolds when I would accidentally bumped into her rib cage to know when I had done something that I shouldn't have. Only this time, I wasn't sure what, exactly, I had done that was wrong.

He tasted good, much better than that salty mess that I had been fed earlier. He had a sweet taste - like warm, melted, sugar on my tongue - and almost tasted as delicious as he smelled. A small pout creased my forehead when his thumb was replaced with the rubbery nipple of the bottle and more of the salty blood filled my mouth. Never the less, I placed my hands on either side of the small, metal bottle and practically inhaled the sticky substance.

Only partially aware of the conversation that was taking place around me, my dark chocolate eyes shifted between Jacob and a much smaller, spiky haired woman who had appeared just after I had been placed in My Jacob's arms. She found something highly amusing as she moved her golden eyes from Jacob to myself. When she smiled, I did my best to mimic her actions though I found it to be fairly difficult to do so without removing the bottle. "Edward is going to kill you, Jacob Black," She said, her words taking on a mater-of-fact approach as she traced cool fingertips down my cheek. Instantly, I looked back to Jacob with a look of concern from this woman's words. Why anyone would ever dream of hurting someone with such a magical scent and taste was beyond my comprehension and I certainly was not okay with such a thing. Wrapping one of my hands around his index finger, I willed the statement to Jacob's mind once more, only this time tacking on my bit of confusion.

I stared up at him as a dazed look seemed to captivate him and I could feel my thoughts as they danced through his mind. "Ness..." He breathed before tearing his eyes from mine and looking to the females in the room with his dark eyes questioning. "Was that her?"

"She showed you something, didn't she?" Urged the blonde, her face no longer plagued with uncertainty as she explained to Jacob once more how I had communicated to her.

Feeling the pressure of his warm lips to my forehead my eyes grew even heavier, his warmth completely blanketing my small body. Cooing gently, I released the bottle only to grab his thumb and bring it to my lips once more. In my opinion, he tasted much better. With a full stomach and warm surroundings, it took all of my strength to fight off the sleep which was once again forcing it's self upon me.

* * *

"Is this her?!" My small body jerked with surprise from the loud and excited words which caught me off guard and pulled me from my slumbers. Only when I felt Jacob's muscles slowly stretching beneath me did I notice the brilliant light that now poured through one of the many large windows and indicated just how long I had slept. Curling closer into Jacob's warmth, I peeked up from under my thick eyelashes only to see yet another tan face a mere few inches from mine. Unlike my Jacob, this face seemed much younger as it still held some roundness in the cheeks much like my own. His eyes, dark as the dirt on his feet, sparkled vibrantly and brought a smile to my pink lips. I knew instantly that I had nothing to fear from this boy – Seth as my Jacob had called him. His hyper attitude was something that I would have to get used to, however, a dramatic change from the calm serenity that I was accustomed to.

"Gosh, she sure is pretty. She looks just like Bella. I've never seen a newborn look like that before. She doesn't look all pinky and wrinkly or anything!" Seth's copper lips pulled back in a brilliant grin as I peered up at him and took him in. There was something about him, whether it be the excitement that radiated from his very being or the tension that I felt leave Jacob's arms completely in his presence, but whatever it was – I knew immediately that I liked it.

Feeling the grogginess of the morning seep away, my eyes fluttered about my surroundings only to be met by more beautiful faces. Amongst them were a few that I recognized, the angel-like blonde one who was called Rosalie, the tiny pixie with the spiky hair that Jacob called Alice, and then, of course, there was the most handsome of all – the man who's voice and scent I recognized even before birth – my father. There were also new faces, all of which smiled at me adoringly. Just as my eyes flicked to my father once more, a broad grin captivated his lips and he carefully lifted me into his arms. "Good morning, Renesmee," He spoke in his wonderfully musical voice, "It's time to meet your family."

One by one, I was passed through sets of arms and lavished with kisses and praises. Even the one that they called Emmett, who's hand alone seemed to be the same length as my entire body, managed to coo my name in the softest of whispers as he rocked me within his giant arms. When I was finally returned to my father, I mimicked the faces around me and pulled my lips up in a smile as I reached up to press my palm to his cheek. My mind ran wild with all that I wanted to tell him: everything from the magical way that my Jacob smelled to the first moment that I heard his voice within my mother's womb danced across my mind and projected into his. With six pairs of golden eyes on me, I turned up to my father's with one final memory acting as a question: My mother's eyes as they slowly fluttered closed and I was pulled from her arms. Where was she now?

My father smiled as he nuzzled his nose into my cheek, "You'll meet her soon," He assured me before pressing a gentle kiss into my hair.

"She showed you something, right?" It was Rosalie whose hand caressed the length of my arm now, her smile instantly replaced by something I couldn't quite understand. "Wait… Does she…?" Leaning in, the blonde ran her fingertips through my hair once more, her lips pursed. "Her hair is longer." She noted, seeming somewhat stumped by her observation. My hand reached out and circled my father's thumb, bringing it to my mouth and sucking lightly as all eyes turned to examine me with skepticism.

"Babies grow, Rose," spoke Emmett, his voice a low boom that shook with slight amusement.

"Not that quickly, they don't. " Carlisle spoke now, his handsome face showing concern that matched Rosalie's. "It is subtle, but there's an obvious change in her face, as well. It's as if the advanced progression of Bella's pregnancy is still in effect."

"What does that mean?" Esme asked, her hand instantly reaching out to smooth over my father's shoulder reassuringly. "When will it slow down?"

"Is she going to keep growing like this?" It was my Jacob now who spoke, his voice and eyes full of panic as they darted between me and my grandfather.

Carlisle's lips pressed into a hard line as he pondered their questions, "There's no way to be certain. Renesmee is one of a kind; there are no previous cases such as this to reference."

"So, what, Doc? She just keeps growing and growing until she's not a baby anymore but this little old woman. There has to be something we can do."

"Jacob, please, calm down." Again, it was Esme who placed a consoling hand on his quivering shoulder.

"We'll figure something out." Carlisle assured no one in particular before disappearing into the adjacent room only to return moments later with a seamstress' measuring tape, "Until then, we'll simply have to keep track of her growth. Maybe then we can figure out the rate that she's growing and perhaps some way to stall it." Holding one end of the tape at the top of my head, he stretched it until it met the tips of my toes. Releasing yet another grin, I stretched in my fathers' arms, allowing him to asses my entire height only to be met by his mystified stare and proud grin.

* * *

As the day moved on, I was met every hour by the same cloth measuring tape. I would stretch out my legs and remain as still as possible until Carlisle had recorded the measurement and rewarded me with a warm grin. I was fed from the same metal bottle as before and passed from one pair of arms to the next. The sun rose high in the sky before retiring for the evening and the crickets took over the song for the birds as they settled into their nests. My sensitive eyes took in every detail of every second, committing each miniscule detail to memory and replaying it all as I slept comfortably within Rosalie's arms.

For two days this routine went continued. Until on the third day, just after being measured and fed, the room became incredibly still. I craned my neck in attempts to see around Jacob as he planted himself firmly between me and whatever had caused the change in air. Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath and was met with a scent that I had known my entire existence. My mother.

With the recognition, I began to squirm within Rosalie's arms in order to see her. I placed my palm to her cheek and willed for Rosalie to take me to her, wanting nothing more than to be in her arms at that very moment. A forced a small whimper when Jacob finally stepped out of the way and my father took me into his arms, his golden stare intent on holding my attention and causing me to calm instantly. "I want you to meet someone very special, Renesmee," He spoke soothingly before granting me with a handsome smile and placing me in an unfamiliar set of arms.

My pink lips stretched excitedly as I looked up to meet my mother's gaze. She was even more beautiful than I remembered her. No longer was her face distorted with pain and fatigue, but replenished with life. She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen and she was my mother. I cooed softly and lifted my hand to her cheek, her face jolting back slightly when the first of the images passed between us but then stilled as swirls of color and sound soon filled her thoughts.

"What was that?" She breathed.

"It's how she communicates." My father explains - his tone full of pride.

"But… How?"

"How do I read minds? How can Alice see the future? She's gifted."

"She's perfect," My mother smiled as she rocked my gently in her arms and I lifted my hand to her cheek once more, eager to show her all that she had missed.


	2. Growth Spurt

**Tidbits: **Thank you so much for the feedback thus far! When I logged on today, the Story Stats just blew me away! I am so happy that my take on Renesmee is being accepted so well. Please, keep sending me reviews and I will do my best to update as frequently as possible as long as you're all still interested. :) Thank you again! This chapter is a bit short as I'm not sure if I want to continue through the events of Breaking Dawn or fast forward to Renesmee's older life. Please, let me know what you think I should do! Also, anything in _italics_ is a memory. Just so it's not confusing :)-xx

**2. Growth Spurt.**

The days that followed after my mother's return where full of both bliss and worry. Everyone seemed to be on their toes about one thing or another, all of which seemed irrelevant in my mind. What was there to worry about? I had everything I wanted and needed: My family, my mother, and my Jacob. However, they all seemed to be fretting constantly unless I was in their arms.

I turned my head from side to side as Jacob paced before me, his thick boots thudding loudly against the hardwood floors and added to the already raised tempo of the room. My brown eyes never left his face, his handsome features all contorted in a way that made my insides knot with worry. I looked up at my mother expectantly, awaiting some sort of explanation for the pain on his face but only received a swift kiss on the cheek before she replied to something that Jacob had said. "You knew that this was coming, Jake," She sighed heavily as if her words had been blatantly obvious.

My nose crinkled as I reached out before me in Jacob's direction, frustrated even more so when Esme pulled me into her arms rather than Jacob.

"That was before, when it was just you, Bella!" Jacob exclaimed, his eyes full of panic as they darted from me as I squirmed in my grandmother's arms back to my mother on the pristine white sofa. "What about Ness-" He stopped himself as my nickname left his lips - my mother had made it very clear of her distaste for it – but then continued. "You can't just pack up and leave me behind. She needs me just as much as I need her!"

"Jake…" My mother sighed once more as she slowly rose to her feet to stand at my father's side. He had moved from his leisurely position by the window to stand just a few feet away from a now vibrating Jacob Black.

"Jacob, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down." Spoke Carlisle calmly as multiple pairs of golden eyes darted to his quivering frame. It looked as if he might explode – like his skin couldn't contain him any longer.

"You can't just leave!" The ache in Jacob's voice rang through my eardrums and attacked my heart. I reached up to press my hand to the base of Esme's neck, begging her to take me to him and explain that everything would be okay.

"Once Charlie believes that Bella is dead, we can't risk someone seeing her in town. Leaving is the only logical explanation," My father explained coolly though his eyes were guarded with anticipation as he took a hesitant step in order to place himself between me and my distressed Jacob. With my please ignored and my father as a barrier, my lips parted to release a small whimper of distaste. This is all wrong. He needs me. Something is wrong.

And with that, a low growl rumbled deep in Jacob's chest before he darted from the room. Moments later, a heartbreaking howl echoed through the air as Jacob exploded into a mass of fur and disappeared into the lush, green forest. Jacob had informed me about the difference between his wolf people and my family during some of the many hours that I had spent in his arms. Yet, I watched in amazement through the thick glass of the large window as my Jacob had transformed into a gigantic wolf within a split second. My lips pursed with discomfort. I wanted him to come back.

The hours seemed to pass painfully slow and Jacob had still yet to return. With my hand to my mother's porcelain cheek, I expressed my immense worry and confusion. I showed her the scene as it had played out, going over the looks of hurt in my Jacob's eyes as they had spoken. _"She needs me just as much as I need her!"_ And I did. Never in my short life had Jacob and his magical scent been out of reach. Uncertainty warred inside me with his absence. It hurt.

The look in my mother's eyes with my confession nearly matched the look that had stolen Jacob's usual good humor just hours earlier. "Don't worry, Sweetheart, Jacob will come back." She assured me softly before passing me along to Rosalie's always awaiting arms before disappearing into the other room to speak with Carlisle and my father.

Rosalie, seeing the concern plastered to my delicate features, gave me a soft smile and nuzzled her nose into my cheek before bringing my dinner to my attention. As I took in the warm liquid, my heavy lids began to betray me. "It's okay, Princess. You have nothing to worry about." Rose promised as she rocked me slowly in her arms and began humming - gently ushering me into another dream.

* * *

All around me, vibrant colors glinted from white flakes as they floated down from the Heavens. An elated giggle escaped my lips and I pressed my palm gently to my mother's cheek before being placed onto my own legs. It had been over two months and a half since my birth. Every day, three times a day, since that first day of life, I had been measured, weighed, and examined by my grandfather and many other sets of golden eyes. Each time, I had grown just a bit more. And now, seventy-two days after my birth, I could already tell that my transformation had everyone startled.

* * *

_Not long after Jacob had exploded into a cloud of fur and disappeared into the woods, he had returned with a man. This man was tall and lean with eyes practically identical to my own. Around those eyes were splatters of small wrinkles that moved up to his forehead and creased when he had spotted me in my father's arms. He had the most peculiar patch of hair just below his nose that wiggled like a caterpillar as he spoke in a slow, slightly pained way as he assessed first my mother's appearance and then mine. My lips had turned up into a wide grin when the clouded look left his eyes with my mother's assurance that she was fine. Once again, the caterpillar of hair squirmed and caused me to giggle._

_The musical sound that left my lips seemed to catch everyone in the room, as well as myself, by surprise. It was a noise that I had yet to make and I was instantly curious as to how I had managed to do so. Amazed, I willed the sound to duplicate it's self and my nose crumpled when I opened my mouth and failed to do so. My act caused the caterpillar to move once more as the man with the soft eyes untangled himself from my mothers embrace and moved in my direction. "Your niece, huh?" His voice was skeptical but was quickly being taken over with adoration. _

_"Our daughter," corrected my father, as he turned to give me a smile._

_"Er... Right." He took in my appearance once more, a small smile forming beneath the growth of hair. He had a nice smile. It was much like my mothers. "God, she's something, isn't she?" He asked to no one in-particular as he pulled me into his warm arms. "Prettiest baby I ever saw. Including you, kid," He said as he stole a look in my mothers direction "Sorry, but it's true."_

_"I know," Spoke my mother and, though I was completely fixated with the bristles that moved above his lips, I could hear the smile in her tone._

* * *

Shortly after I had met the man that was my mothers father, Grandpa Charlie as I was to grew to call him, I had met a group of tan faces similar to my Jacob. One of them, Quil, had brought along a child with light brown curls that sprung from her head like daisies in a flower bed. She was older than me at the time, five or six I believe, though I had already grown to be seemingly the same age as far as appearance was concerned.

My bronze ringlets bounced as I bound into the meadow and past Jacob who was moving about in his wolf form. Opening my arms out at my side, I twirled until I feared that I might lose my balance, my silvery giggles filling the air around me. I welcomed the day, the bit of sun that had escaped the cage of the overcast, the crunch of the grass and fallen leaves beneath my feet, and the glittering snow flakes that slowly cascaded downward - melting just before I could grasp them. I bound forward before leaping into the air, successfully trapping a small frozen crystal before landing on my feet once again. Turning to my mother with a bright grin, I rushed to her side and held up the the flake proudly.

"I see!" My mother had smiled dotingly before something in her eyes shifted. Following her gaze, I was met by a figure in the far off distance, her features small but obviously pained.

"Who is that, momma?"

"I think it's our cousin from Denali..." She began before calling out, "Irina?"

And then she was gone.


	3. Scary

**A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I don't know how so much time got away from me. I promise that I will do my best to update at least once a week. Hopefully, I'll be able to get into a groove where I can pop these babies out every few days. Fingers crossed! **

**I am still a bit undecided as to if I want to continue re-hashing all of the events of Breaking Dawn or simply fast forward to Renesmee's life after the encounter with the Volturi. The way I skip around in the chapters, I hope to get to the Volturi bit within the next three or so. Obviously, Renesmee would be mostly oblivious to things that aren't directly related to her so there'd be no point in focusing on every little thing that Bella did in the books. **

**Please keep sending me your thoughts and comments! I am all for anything that you guys have for me, whether it be constructive criticism, praise, or ideas for future chapters. Also, I my quotes are not exact quotes from the book! I am not even going to try to find this exact spot in the book, so I went off memory and I'm sure they don't add up 100%. BUT, hopefully it's clear what is happening :P**

**Well, that's enough of my babbling. I'm sorry again for the ridiculously long wait. I promise never to leave you waiting that long again! -xx**

**3. Scary.**

My heart fluttered like the wings of a humming bird as I listened to the conversation going about around me. The woman from the woods, Irina, had run from my mother when she had gone to say hello. Carlisle, my grandfather, was speaking in his usual smooth tone slowly causing my mother's expression to relax. He believed Jacob had frightened her. My head tilted to the side slightly in thought, my dark eyes moving from where they had been on my father's long fingers as they danced on the ivory keys before us to stop on Jacob – his look as smug as ever. I couldn't imagine anyone being frightened of Jacob. He was so warm, like sunshine, and everyone loved when the sun was shining. As if he sensed my questions from across the room, Jacob moved to stand behind where my father and I sat. With his back against the glass that made up the back wall of the main house, I giggled as the tiny trails of precipitation snaked up the cold glass and outline the parts of his body that leaned closes to the cool glass. Hearing my laughter, his bronze face broke into a large white grin.

No, I could find nothing scary about my Jacob.

The conversation around me continued as I was pulled from Jacob's grin by the soft jingle of the very piano that I was seated before. My curiosity sparked instantly as my father began to play a soft tune. It was familiar, but less muffled than it had been the first time I had heard it from within my mother's stomach. It was beautiful, heartbreaking at times, and the notes had a way of circling around in my head in a slow sort of waltz. I kept my eyes trained on my father's fingers, placing little mental notes on every key that he touched and what chords were to follow. When I glanced up to see his golden eyes on me, I gnawed on my rose petal of a lower lip before pressing gently to the key that I thought was next in the tune. When he nodded for me to continue, I beamed proudly and held down the next, smiling excitedly when he picked the song right up from the key that I had pressed. I could feel several pairs of eyes taking in the scene with loving glances as I slowly picked up which keys to press.

Then the music stopped.

The sound of shattering glass and the smell of crushed roses echoed through the open home moments after the vase in Alice's grasp slipped from her normally steady fingers. No one had moved in her direction to catch the pretty blue shards of glass that had been molded to hold one of the many bouquets that always filled the house. Alice was very quick, only surpassed by my father in agility – no one had expected her to let it fall to the ground. My lips parted slightly, my brow furrowing in confusion as the oddest look of complete distraction captivated my aunt's usually alert features. Removing my hand from the ivory keys, I placed it atop my father's and looked up at him expectantly. _What's going on? Is Aunt Alice sick? Why did she drop the pretty flowers?_ When my request for answers was ignored, I turned to my mother who quickly closed the distance between us and collected me into her arms.

"The Volturi," Alice breathed, her once light and musical tone plagued with worry. "They're coming for us."

That's when everyone went into warp speed.

I couldn't keep up with the questions that were being tossed around. Everyone was talking too fast, too loud, and all at once. I could feel the vibrations of my mother's words, but they didn't register in my mind as my eyes darting from each of my family members for an answer. Something was very wrong.

"They think that Renesmee is an immortal child." My father finally explained, his topaz hues slowly moving to my mother and myself. Everything about the look he had just given me pleaded for sympathy. Yes, something was very, very wrong.

"She was born, she wasn't bitten. She's growing every single day!" Again, my mother's chest vibrated with her words, there desperation stirring something deep inside of me that caused water to pool in my eyes. Was this was fear felt like? Did my own face match the look that plagued my loved ones? My reflection in my mother's frantic, crimson eyes told me that it did. "We have to explain, they have to listen to us!"

"The Volturi aren't known for their listening skills, I'm afraid." Spoke Carlisle, his voice almost too soft to be heard in the commotion.

All it took was four words to quiet the room.

"Then we'll show them." I could hear Jacob's heartbeat as it hammer loudly a few feet away. His face was serious; all of the earlier humor had fled from his face and left nothing but determination. His hands where clenched into hard fists at his side before he crossed his arms over his strong chest.

My father nodded, agreeing to some unspoken statement. "If Aro won't listen to what we have to say, then maybe we can show him that Renesmee isn't like those immortal children."

"They won't even slow down long enough to look at her," interrupted Emmett, "We'll have to fight."

"Maybe not if it's just us. But, if we had witnesses who could attest to witnessing Renesmee's growth, then maybe we stand a chance." My father's words were firm, full of determination as he looked around the room before landing his gaze on my mother and me. "I won't let them hurt my family."

* * *

Just as I had every night since being born, I fell asleep in someone's arms. In the midst of my family's planning to recruit friends from all around the world to bare-witness, I managed to drift into a sea of colors and memories as I curled up into my mother's lap. She was nervous, I could tell by the way she held her breath each time a bird landed in a branch outside of the house or a cricket chirped a bit too loudly.

My head remained tuck just below her chin as I slept, one hand tangled in the light blanket that pooled in my lap and the other resting against my mother's collar bone, my dreams transferring from my mind to hers in random spurts during my slumber. As I dreamed, I remembered every minute detail of my life as they swirled about with the bright colors from the falling leaves, the soft blues of a cloudy day, and the pretty pink of the shirt that Rosalie had worn the day before. Everything stuck, forever engraved in my mind. Unfortunately, now that included Alice's blank expression as the vase fell from her grip and the words and worry that soon followed.

I curled closer into my mother, her familiar scent easing away my worries and bringing back the bright colors and happy memories.


	4. When You're Older

**4. When You're Older.**

When I awoke the morning after Alice's vision, there was an obvious change in the air. I was in Rosalie's arms now. I could tell before I even opened my eyes, her sweet, perfume like scent pulling me from my haze of dreams. I was only partially aware of the soft hum of her voice as she cooed and ducked her head to kiss my cheek after brushing a bronze ringlet from where it had fallen in front of my eyes, removing the obstruction from my view so that I was able to stare up into the melted topaz that was Rosalie's eyes. "Good morning, Renesmee," I knew instantly that something was terribly, terribly wrong. From the moment that the words left her rosy lips, I could sense the bit of hesitation in her tone.

My adoptive aunt, like the rest of my family, had spent years perfecting the act of normalcy. They knew exactly how many seconds should pass between each forced blink, how the smallest movement of their shoulders should be made to make it appear as if they were breathing. Every little adjustment and sigh was perfectly calculated. There was not a flaw in the human routine that they took part in whenever a human was in the room, even if they knew what we truly where. Rosalie had never once slipped up. Yet, here she was, holding me just as still as she could be, despite the three sun-kissed faces that sat just a few feet away, with the faintest of shivers in her tone and a pained look in her molten eyes.

Placing the tips of my fingers to her collarbone, I willed forth my questions from the day before that had gone unanswered. _Where had Alice and Jasper gone? Why would they leave without saying goodbye? When would they be back?_ I then focused on the strained look that seemed to captivate Jacob's normally warm face. I didn't like the way that it distorted his lips and turned their corners downward – something had obviously upset him and I wanted to repair his broken smile immediately. Then I remembered the way my mother's breath had caught in her chest, despite the fact that she, nor the rest of my family, seemed to need to breathe at all. My mind was a mess of questions left unanswered and a gnawing sense of unrest. The most foreign feeling snaked its way through my veins and a loud pang of worry echoed throughout my small body with every rapid beat of my heart. How could something as simple as seeing someone, a cousin from Denali I was told, cause so much to change so quickly? Was it me? Did they - Alice, Jasper, and Irina - leave because of me? _Did I done something wrong?_

"Of course you didn't do anything wrong," Rosalie cooed, her eyes warming slightly as she looked upon me, her lips pressing into my hair. "Don't ever think that, my sweet girl," She continued, her expression and tone making it clear that there was room for the subject to be argued further, "You haven't done anything wrong. Alice and Jasper love you. You could never do anything to make them want to leave. They're just..." I watched as a new emotion passed over my aunt's beautiful face. It was one that I didn't recognize, but which I felt very firmly against. Was this what pain looked like? I had felt it before - when Jacob had ran into the woods and I'd been forced out of his arms, when plans of moving away from Grandpa Charlie and Jacob's wolf people had been discussed - but I'd never seen it so purely displayed across someone's face. I felt the salty tears welling up behind my eyes but forced them back, determined not to add to Rosalie's discomfort, and slid my arms around her neck before nuzzling my face into her golden hair. "They'll be back, Ness," she assured me, her voice as soft as a whisper.

Nodding my head slowly, I sucked in my lower lip and allowed my teeth to move over it. It was something that I had witnessed Leah Clearwater do many times, more so when I assumed that she felt a particular worry inside her, and it seemed to help calm her nerves somehow. I silently hoped that the habit would take and the uneasy feeling that plagued me would soon disperse.

Feeling a warm hand placed on my back, I uncoiled from Rosalie's embrace only to be met by my mother's soft smile as she gave Rose a small nod before taking me into her arms. Placing a gentle kiss on my cheek, she seemed to observe the room before finally turning her still crimson-tinted eyes to me. "I have to go into town to do some shopping. How would you like to spend the day with Jacob and Charlie?"

Charlie. It was odd how the mention of my mother's father could calm me almost instantly. Grandpa Charlie was easily one of my favorite people in my small world. I loved him desperately after meeting him. He was so warm and smelled of pine needles and leather. His eyes were just like mine – just like my mothers had been – and I felt that, though he was far more breakable than the rest of the people that filled my life, but that he was also one of the most willing to break for those that he loved. Charlie Swan was a good man. Though I didn't know much about life outside of my family and Jacob's wolf people, I did know that.

"May I bring my notebook? Sue and Jake promised that they would help me make Christmas cards." I explained, happy for a distraction and for the opportunity to spend the day with three people that I held so dearly.

My mother nodded and kissed my cheek before setting me down. "I think that's a great idea," She smiled before I was scooped into Jacob's arms and tossed over his shoulder, eliciting a great giggle from me. "I'll meet you in the garage in five." My mother laughed, her words directed at my captor, before she disappeared through the back doors and down the path that lead to the cottage.

"Yes ma'am!" Jacob called after her, throwing his stance into a mock-salute, only for his attempt at keeping a straight face to crumple and allow his brilliant grin to grace his appearance once more. In a swift movement, he lifted me above his head and settled me onto his shoulders, his fingers lingering momentarily to tickle my sides – forcing another round of loud giggles to escape me. "You heard 'er, Nessie. We better get a move on before we're both in the dog house," he joked before taking us out of the room before Rosalie could make some form of jab at the dog reference.

"Mama doesn't get mad at you," I said in a very 'as-a-matter-of-factly' sort of tone, my arms folding to rest atop his head.

"Oh, no?" He asked, obviously amused with my statement, "She even took a swing at me once."

"She did not!" I laughed, tugging at a bit of his dark hair that was growing shaggier than he usually allowed it.

"She did!" He gasped, as if amazed that I didn't believe him, "Almost broke her hand trying, too."

I leaned forward so that my stomach was pressed to the top of his head and I could view his face, the look of disbelief on my face obvious even from my upside-down angle. "Like how Seth and Embry and Quil hit you?" I asked, a memory of the four of them taking playful jabs at each other one afternoon coming to mind and flowing into his.

"Something like that," He smirked, then pretended to stumble – landing me on one of the large white sofa's right beside where my bag full of paper and art supplies awaited. "I'll tell you about it when you're older," He explained, ending the conversation with an odd look of uncertainty in his eyes.

Unsure how to respond to a statement so unfamiliar, I nodded and smiled up at him before rifling through the small backpack to make sure that I had everything I needed. Ever since I had first expressed an interest in art, my family had fully indulged me. Just a few weeks ago, I had woken to find an adjustable easel and small paint set in my room in the cottage. It had only taken me a mere matter of days to go through the large pad of watercolor paper and tubes of paint that I'd been gifted and I had absolutely adored every minute of it. Shortly after running out of painting supplies, my Uncle Jasper had slipped a sketchbook and an assortment of freshly sharpened colored pencils under my pillow – leaving only his crisp scent behind as evidence of his visit. Upon discovering my talent and fascination, Carlisle had immediately insisted that I had inherited the artistic talents of my father, which he'd inherited from his natural parents; a subject that had confused me entirely.

Once I found that I had everything I needed, I looked up at the sound of the garage door opening.

"C'mon, Ness, we don't want to keep Charlie waiting." Jacob said as I climbed down from my seat on the sofa, sliding my arms through the straps of my backpack with his aid, then slipped my small hand into his before following him towards to garage.

* * *

When the purr of the car's engine finally slowed, an excited smile colored my lips. As soon as the car was in park, I had wiggled my way out of my safety belts and leapt from the car and into my grandfather's awaiting arms. My wind chime giggles filled the air as he lifted me into the air and spun me about, tiny crystals of snow falling and clinging to our hair and the fabric of our clothes. "Missed you," I exclaimed, pressing my lips to his cold and slightly scruffy cheek.

I could feel his body shake with his low and silent laughter, "I missed you too, baby girl."

Placing the palms of my hands to his shoulders, I held myself at arms-length and smiled down at him, seeing my own reflection in his dark chocolate eyes. Since before Charlie and I had even met, I had been made sure that I knew that – though he was family – Charlie wasn't like the rest of the people that I loved. He was human, breakable and vulnerable, and was to be treated with much more care. I hadn't been allowed to nip at him the way that I had with Jacob and Seth when my teeth and been in so much pain when first coming in; I wasn't supposed to speak to him through his mind, but with my words and actions instead. But, as I stared into my grandfather's eyes, I wanted nothing more than to share my 'talent' with him: to show him just how much I loved him, how endearing the little crinkles in the corner of his eyes were, and how the way that his moved when he spoke reminded me of a fuzzy caterpillar as it slinked across the window sill. Since I couldn't show him everything, couldn't express just how much I loved him and would miss him if he were to ever go away – something I hadn't thought to do with Alice and Jasper – I wound my arms tightly around his neck once more and said the only thing that I could think of, "Love you".

I could feel the mixture of confusion and affection as Charlie's arms tightened their hold on me the slightest bit, hugging me as if I might be snatched away at any moment. Could Charlie feel my uncertainty? Did he know that Alice and Jasper had left? Was he as frightened as the rest of my family and Jacob's wolf people pretended not to be? "I love you, too, kid."

* * *

**AN: I'm so sorry for being MIA for so long! I just finished my AA so I am free for a few months. In August, I'll be starting classes at Full Sail University, but until then I plan on updating this story twice a week so that I will hopefully be able to finish it by the time classes start up again. Yay! Fingers crossed! :p**

**However, before I update any further, I would like your opinion on this story. I have decided that I would like to venture beyond simply giving Renesmee's point of view over what happened in Breaking Dawn, but that I would like to give it a bit of an AU twist, making it where the encounter with the Volturi took a turn for the worst and Jacob was forced to take Renesmee away. **

**What I want to know is how you, my beautiful and amazing readers who have put up with my BS since starting this fic, would feel about that. I want to write something that you'll enjoy, after all. *:)**

**So, let me know what you think! Should I keep the story and its direction as is or should I give it a new spin? You're reviews mean the world to me so please feel free to let me know your opinions either way! **

**-xx**


	5. The Best Day

**5. The Best Day.**

My day had been a long one: full laughter and love and family. With Sue's help, I had created a plethora of intricate pictures and cards for all of my loved ones – giggling ecstatically when Jacob had attempted to sneak glances at the ones I'd made with him in mind. Despite all of his efforts and thanks to Charlie's announcement of some game or another on television, I had managed to keep my hard work hidden from his sight as I placed the finishing touches. After I'd completed the last bit of shading, I'd quickly, and gently, placed it into the safety of my bag before moving along to the next card.

After I had finished and put away my art supplies, I had happily helped Sue in her preparation for dinner. Cooking, something that seemed very casual and important to humans and Jacob's wolf people, was an alien task and I found it strangely calming. Jumping up so that I sat on the old, laminate counter top beside the sink, I watched in a daze as Sue moved about the small kitchen, tossing bits of ingredients, chopping, and stirring as needed. It was beautiful, almost like a dance, the way that the older woman moved about.

Sue really was very pretty. With her dark hair, skin, and eyes making her seem as if she might cling to her youth much longer than most, even with the delicate lines that rested just around her eyes and lips. Silently, I wondered what Jacob's mother had looked like. Of course, I had seen the photos of Sarah Black and her family scattered about Billy's home. She had been very beautiful: her face made up of the same soft lines that Jacob's older sisters possessed as well as the playful yet wise look in her eyes and way that she held herself that was mirrored in Jacob. I knew what she looked like.

But there was so much more to a person's appearance than simply how they looked, wasn't there? A person wasn't just made up of bone structure and pigments. They consisted of laugh lines, and the looks that they made when they were angry, and habits; their quirks and fears and hopes; the way that they hummed and swayed as they cooked dinner for their families and kissed their loved ones goodnight.

Essentially, I had memorized Sarah Black's appearance the first moment I had been 'introduced' to her. After a day at the beach with Jacob and Seth, I had spotted a picture of Billy standing tall and proud beside a beautiful woman in a beautiful gown. Once Jake had explained who the woman was and what had happened, I had spent the next hour going about the small home, examining each picture and committing this woman that I would never be able to meet to memory.

She had been Jacob's mother.

She had brought him into the world.

My Jacob.

For that reason alone I felt that I owed her as much as to know her to any extent that I could.

It seemed unfair that Jacob's mother had been stolen from him when he had been so young. I couldn't bear the thought of not having my mother.

The Sue's soft hum pulled me from my thoughts and back into the present. I wasn't familiar with the tune, but I couldn't help but smile at her imperfect voice and how it didn't seem to defer her joy one bit. "Would you like to help, Renesmee?" She asked, placing a large aluminum bowl full of some sort of meaty concoction into my lap. She seemed rather amused when I'd looked up at her with obvious confusion, and a bit of disgust, when she'd stuck her hand into the questionable mixture. "We're going to make meatballs to put in the spaghetti sauce. It's just hamburger meat and a bit of spices, cheese," She'd assured me before pinching off a smaller bit of meat and rolling it between her hands until it had transformed into a perfect sphere, holding it up for me to see, before dropping it into a boiling batch of red liquid.

"What's hamburger?" I asked, my head tilting to the side and my lips pursing as I stared down into the bowl. What kind of animal was a hamburger? I had gone through all of the books that Carlisle had given me, even watched Animal Planet with Uncle Emmett on particularly rainy days, but I had no recollection of an animal with that strange of a name.

My question urged a small laugh from Sue, who had taken my hands in hers and wiped them clean with a wet washcloth, and was now placing a small clump of the mixture into my hand. "It's a type of meat that comes from cattle," she explained, rubbing my hands together in slow motions and shaping the glob until it had formed a small ball, then slipped it into the sauce as well.

"What does it taste like?" I asked, bringing a pinch of the meat towards my lips only to have Sue grasp my hand with a concerned look on her face. "It's raw, sweetheart, you can't…"

Once again, my head tilted to the side in confusion only to be interrupted by Jacob's loud inhale as he entered the kitchen. "Smell's great, Sue," he smiled warmly, "My stomach was growling so loud I think the pack might've heard it all the way in LaPush." A similar look of concern washed over his features as his eyes fell on me, "What ya got there, Ness?"

"Hamburger," I said simply, sniffing the bit that I still held in my hand. "It doesn't smell like an animal," I explained my confusion obvious, "What's wrong with it? Was it sick?"

"It's not," Jake laughed softly, washing his hands and padding them dry with a towel before sticking his hands into the bowl and aiding Sue with rolling, "The meat that humans eat is a little different, Ness." He began, his dark eyes staring into the bowl of goo as he searched for the right words. "It's not like when you go hunting. Then, the animals smell like their blood and the woods, right? This meat, it's not alive anymore. It just smells like what it is."

I scrunched my nose after sniffing once more. "It smells gross."

"That's because it hasn't been cooked yet." Sue interjected, smiling sweetly as she poured a few more meatballs into the sauce and stirred slowly.

Within minutes, the odd ingredients were finished cooking and being mixed together. I watched curiously as Jacob helped Sue pour the sauce and meatballs into the same large pot that held the noodles, then mix it all together. With a quick enough movement to dodge the swat of Sue's spoon, Jacob plucked a now sauce covered noodle from the pot and held it before me. "Open up," he instructed, despite my look of mixed horror and disgust, then chuckled when I pressed my lips together. "Come on, Nessie, I wouldn't give you something you wouldn't like."

Preparing myself for something that tasted as awful as the meat mix had smelled, I grimaced but stole the noodle from Jacob's grasp and shoved it into my mouth.

It wasn't like anything I'd ever tasted.

It was tangy and robust and a little bit slippery.

It was good.

"Looks like she's got a thing for Italian food, like her mom." Charlie laughed in response to my hum of satisfaction as he twirled his fork in the mound of spaghetti. "Bells would have lived off spaghetti when she was a kid if I'd let her."

After licking my finger clean of the remnants of sauce, I'd hopped down from my perch on the counter and made my way to the empty seat at the table, eagerly picking up a fork and mimicking Charlie's twisting movements with my fork and stuffing the contents into my mouth.

* * *

After dinner, Charlie had taken clean-up duty while I climbed back onto the counter, drying the dishes after he washed and rinsed them, my attention only half on my job as Charlie continue to tell me about my mother as a child. Charlie told me about their summers together: their days in LaPush, how she and Jacob had played together as children, and then their summers in California. It was so hard to picture my mother the way that he described her – fragile and clumsy, seemingly unsure of herself in her own skin and almost too much like himself – when the woman that I knew was someone completely opposite. My mother was beautiful, graceful, and brave. I had witnessed her and Emmett's tests of strength, giggling all the while, while my petite mother stared up with my very large uncle without the slightest bit of intimidation. My mother was alive, not shy and timid. She was always smiling and happy, especially when my father was around. It was hard for me to put the two versions, Isabella Swan and Isabelle Cullen, together in my mind.

Once all of the dishes had been washed and the counters wiped clean, the four of us had hunkered down in-front of the flat screen just as a movie was coming on. Climbing onto my usual spot in Jacob's lap, I curled up against his strong chest and took in a deep breath. He smelled like Spaghetti where a few rogue drops of sauce had stained his shirt. Feeling the light wool of a thin blanket pulled over me, not that I really needed it with Jacob having his own built in furnace, I slowly began to doze off.

By the time my mother had returned from her errands, I had already become thoroughly lost within my own dreams. Somewhere, in some far-off sense of alertness, I was aware that Jacob's warm body shifted beneath me, that a pair of scratchy lips had pressed to my temple, and that a familiar and husky voice was murmuring goodbyes.

I knew then that I should wake, that I should tell Charlie and Sue how much I loved them both and how much fun I'd had, but I just couldn't seem to force my tired eyes to open.

Then, I could feel myself being lowered, the warmth that was Jacob being removed from my grasp, and something scratchy and uncomfortable taking his place. My head lulled to the side, my cheek pressing into the fabric blend of my jacket, and could still smell the scents that filled Charlie's home: cinnamon, pine needles, and that delicious sauce. I felt as if I should open my eyes, wave and blow goodbye kisses or tell my mother with how much I'd missed her and that I was excited to show her all of my new pictures.

Still, I couldn't will the veil of sleep to rise.

The time between when the car had started and when the engine was killed seemed to be much too close together for us to have made it any more than a few minutes from Charlie's. We couldn't have possibly traveled out of town and back home in such a short amount of time. I'd only just allowed myself to surrender to sleep once more...

But then I was being lifted once again, the seat belt having been removed and my cheek finding the comfort of my mother's shoulder to be a suitable pillow. I could smell my father's natural cologne-like scent as he grew closer; could feel him lift me into his arms, his touch just the slightest bit colder than my own; could hear his soft murmurs of love as he made his way from the main house to the little cottage beyond the line of trees.

"Tomorrow is a big day, Renesmee," He whispered, his voice like a velvety hum in my mostly unconscious state, as he lowered me into the plush bedding and tucked me in. "You're going to meet a lot of our friends and family soon and you're going to get to show them what you can do. They're all going to love you." He assured me before placing a gentle kiss to my forehead.


	6. Witness

**AUTHORS NOTE: **I would just like the point out that this is a fanfic so the conversations, nor the specific days featured in Breaking Dawn, are 100% the same. I did my best to keep the main perspective and happenings of BD, but as I didn't have the actual book infront of me while writing this, I know that I might have mixed up who said what and the exact words that they used. I hope it doesn't throw anyone off and I would be more than willing to explain my madness further if there is anything that you find confusing or that you believe doesn't add up. Enjoy! -xxx

* * *

**6. Witness.**

On December 17th, the snow that had been fluttering down from the Heavens and disappearing finally stuck. Almost overnight, the cold and soggy land was covered by a thin blanket of white and Forks was transformed into a scene that could steal the breath from the breathless. When I awoke, the smell of damp Earth and rain no longer filled the air and was replaced by something unfamiliar; as if the cover of snow had erased the aromas of the world altogether. Like the slate had been wiped clean and the new day brought new opportunities and promises.

My dark eyes slowly roamed over the wide landscape before me from where I sat on my father's lap just inside the front of the main house. The sun was barely managing to peek over the tree's that engrossed most of Forks, fighting the malevolent clouds that threatened to swallow it just the way that they had done the day before. The sun's bright ray's had not yet lost the battle with the gray sheet's that covered the sky and threatened to release another layer of snow onto the world below when the distinct sound of footsteps could be heard just beyond the line of trees.

Raising myself on my father's lap so that I was closer to the window, I pressed my fingertips to the cold glass as four people – who's eyes matched the same golden hue as my families – finally came into my line of site. Foggy crystals formed around my fingertips where they rested against the cool surface, disappearing a few moments after I removed the slight bit of pressure. "Who are they, daddy?" I asked in almost a whisper, as if I would scare them away if I spoke to loudly.

His eyes already following the new visitors as they moved towards the front of the house, he nodded for Carlisle before giving me a small reassuring smile. "They are our cousins from Alaska. They're here to meet you."

I curled my fingers about a lock of my hair and pushed it away from where it had fallen into my line of vision as my mother's sweet scent entered the room. I looked between the two of them as she lifted me into her arms as my father gave her a small kiss just before following Carlisle to meet the new arrivals.

"What if they don't like me?" I asked, my eyes turned up so that I could gauge my mother's reaction, as I sucked my lower lip into my mouth and my eyes widened the slightest bit.

Jacob, who I hadn't heard enter the room in my state of worry, nudged me reassuringly. "Are you kidding? They're going to love you."

I couldn't help but to give a small smile in response to his words, the weight in my chest being reduced significantly in his presence. Noticing my father nod for my mother and I to join him, I curled into my mother, using her hair as a shield from the obviously confused and slightly frightened eyes that looked upon us.

As we stepped closer, I could hear the gasps of disbelief and uncertainty.

"Edward! How could you?!" Gasped the taller of the three woman, her blonde hair falling in straight sheets to the small of her back but flying about her with the slight breeze that had slipped through the trees.

"_Dios_," breathed the brunette woman, one of her pale hands flitting to cover her mouth.

"It is forbidden!" Scolded a man, his hair nearly pitch black and his accent unfamiliar as he placed a hand on the dark hair woman at his side in an attempt to pull her back as my mother and I continued forward.

"Oh, Edward, What were you thinking?" Spoke the shortest of the three women, whose hair was the same pale color of the tallest but tightly curled, in a way that sounded as if her words caused her physical pain. "You've just served us all a death sentence."

"You don't understand," My father was explaining, closing the space between him and my mother and myself. "Renesmee isn't an immortal child. Bella is her mother and I am her father. Her biological father." Slowly, I disentangled myself from my mother's hair, peeking up at the small group of travelers curiously as their gazes moved between my father and myself a number of times. "She was conceived and born while Bella was still human. Just look for yourself." He paused, looking at me and brushing his fingers across my cheeks, "Can you not see the blush in her cheeks? Listen, you can hear her heart pounding and the blood coursing through her veins. She is not an immortal child. Half vampire and half human – she's like nothing else. We've committed no crime."

I licked my lips, my breath slowing a bit as I awaited our cousin's reaction to me. I had heard my father's speech a few times already, him and the rest of my family going over what should be said to their friends as they asked them to bear witness. Something, or someone, was coming, and soon.

"That is impossible," argued the man, his eyes guarded and his stance and hold on his dark haired companion strong, "No such child has ever existed."

_That is impossible_. I watched the man's posture as his body turned to the side the slightest bit, like a cougar ready to bound in the opposite direction in an instant in order to escape an enemy or attack pray. He was going to leave, and he would take the others with him. They couldn't leave. They had to know.

My brow scrunched as I fought for the right words to convince them to understand. I removed myself from the cover of my mother's hair completely only to find the dark haired woman watching me curiously. Releasing my lower lip from my teeth, I adjusted in my mother's arms, holding my hand out to the woman. "May I show you?" I asked.

I watched as the woman's eyes moved from my face, to my hand, to my father, my hand again, and then to my face once more before finally nodding and taking a small step forward. Leaning towards the woman once more – Carmen, as the man had called her – and rested my palm gently against her cold cheek, my eyes closing as I showed her the contents of my mind.

I silently willed my every memory to filter through my touch and into her mind's eye. I showed her everything: the way that my mother's voice had sounded from within her womb, the panic I had felt with every bit of pain I'd accidentally caused her, and the way the world had dimmed significantly as something that been wrapped around my neck. I showed her the way that my father's face had looked when I'd met him at last, the way that my mother's soft murmurs vibrated through my small newborn body as she'd spoken my name, and the way that her metallic blood had tasted on my tongue.

Noticing the way that Carmen blanched at the memory of the taste of blood, I made a mental note to avoid those types of memories.

Then, I showed her My Jacob. How he smelled, how he tasted, how he seemed to stand out so greatly in my small world. I showed her my family, my immense love for them all, and how they'd all cared for me. I showed her Carlisle as he measured me multiple times daily and how each time I'd grown a substantial amount. I showed her La Push, and Jacob's wolf people, Charlie.

I showed her the day in the woods, how I'd been catching snowflakes when Irina had come into view only to take off once more. I showed her the vase that had slipped from Alice's fingers, how glass, water, and flowers had coated the hardwood floor as Alice's face took on a far-off look of a vision. I showed her the morning when I'd awoken the find Alice and Jasper missing and the pain and confusion I'd felt.

Lastly, I showed her moments ago: the way that she and the rest of her small coven had looked as they'd approached through the line of trees, the way that their blatant fear of me confused me greatly, the way that I didn't understand what I had done to scare them.

And then I slowly removed my hand from her cheek, opened my eyes, and watched her intently. "I'm not dangerous at all," I explained, slinking back into my mother's arms, "I wouldn't hurt anyone. I love my family, and humans, and wolf people like my Jacob."

I could feel Jacob's unmistakable warmth as he took a few steps forward so that he stood on the opposite side of my mother from my father, his arm brushing my side as he did so. His face was serious, all earlier traces of joking set aside in the presence of unfamiliar vampires who did not presently seem too fond of me.

"What he says is true," Carmen finally spoke up, her voice noticeably calmer as her lips turned into a small, friendly smile. "It's all true. She's remarkable." Taking yet another step forward so that nothing more than a foot or so was between her and me, she gave my mother the same warm grin before holding her hand out to me. "May I hold you, _bébé linda_?"

With the offer, I looked up at my mother and smiled triumphantly before nodding and accepting Carmen's waiting arms. Despite the weather and the winter apparel that she wore, she smelled of something tropic and being in her hold made me feel oddly at least. "Can you show me more?" She asked, her eyes brightening with curiosity.

I giggled softly before placing my fingertips to her smooth cheek once again, willing forth another mixture of memories. Once again, I took her back to La Push. I showed her the way that the sun and salty air felt on my skin as Jacob's strong arms lifted me into the air and how they all found my name to be a mouthful, resorting to calling me Nessie. I introduced her to each of the wolves: Sam in his strong silence, the way that Paul's sour expression seemed to only disappear in Rachel's – Jacob's sister – presence, the way that Seth's grin nearly completely captivated his face, how Leah's cold eyes were always on the lookout. I showed her each tan face and how they fit into mine and my families lives.

When I removed my hand from her cheek, and her eyes opened once more, the same look of awe passed over her. "Truly remarkable," she breathed, adjusting me on her hip as her companions watched on and listened to what Carlisle and my father had to say. "We shall be great friends, my Nessie."

* * *

Shortly after our cousins from Denali arrived, others, covens and nomads alike, began to filter in to hear what my family had to say. Over the course of a few days, our home began full of vampires that were willing to listen and see for themselves what all of the fuss was about – me. Each day, more and more newcomers arrived and I showed them what I had shown Carmen that very first day. Once I had shown them my life, how I had grown and changed, they could then choose to stay or to go. My family understood how dangerous even questioning the Volturi could be and would never force someone to face an obstacle as great as the guard. A few did leave, disappearing into the woods as quickly as they had arrived, but some had stayed.

Some days it was only my parents, Jacob, and I in a home full of miscellaneous vampires, everyone else going off to find friends from the past or anyone that would listen to send back and hear our story. Within a week, I had met more vampires than I knew existed, each vastly different from the other. They ranged from one side of the spectrum to the other in such a wide range that it was hard to believe that they were all truly the same species.

There was Kate and Tanya, our very beautiful cousins from Denali that I had met the first day with Carmen and her mate, Eleazar, their eyes the same topaz hue as my family. Next came the coven from Ireland - Siobhan, Maggie, and Liam - their accents thick and their eyes the same scarlet as their hair. Following the Irish was a coven from Egypt – Amun, Kebi, Benjamin, and Tia. I instantly formed a fondness of Benjamin: his red eyes sparkling in a way that made him seem harmless despite their coloring and his ability to control the earthly elements amazing me.

Shortly after Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie had returned with a variety of nomads in tow, while my mother had been practicing using her gift, a dark skinned and peculiar pair entered our cause. They were beautiful, of course, almost unnervingly so, but it was their intensity that fascinated me so. It took no time at all before Zafrina, as well as her 'sister' Senna, became my main source of entertainment, the beautiful pictures that she was able to place inside my mind captivating my attention for hours at a time.

The last to arrive were a pair that had not necessarily been invited. Stefan and Vladimir, vampires from Romania with a particular vengeance against the Volturi, were the final members to join our group of witnesses – their want for revenge for the Volturi taking their reign over the Vampirian race long ago fueling their motives more than our actual cause.

It was they who spoke up first, their cat like and twitching eyes scanning the room as if they simply couldn't wait for a fight that we all hoped would not need to take place. "Carlisle, you do know that Aro will not take a second thought when it comes to wiping you and your family from the map as he did ours." Vladimir advised, his accent adding even more of a menacing feel to his already ominous words.

"Aro isn't a fool. We aren't a large group, but we are enough to cause him pause enough to listen to what we have to say," Carlisle explained coolly, his kind eyes masking any bit of fear he might have.

"You are right, my friend," Spoke Stefan as his large porcelain hand smoothed over the front of his petticoat. "Aro is no fool. He will see an attack as an opportunity to scavenge." He looked over to myself and my mother, then across the room to Benjamin, "He will see an opportunity to strike fear in our people, while ridding of your coven and gaining a few prizes along the way."

"It has happened before," Vladimir interjected, a yellow-blonde brow rising, "The only plausible thing would be to meet the guard head on."

"We are not here to fight." Carlisle countered, his voice showing hints that they'd already had the same conversation many times over.

"Then you will not survive." Vladimir concluded his tone indefinite and cold.

"Going against the Guard would be suicide." Amun chimed in, his red-rimmed eyes hard, "We won't stand to be slaughtered."

"Then you are free to go," My father finally spoke up, his hands shaking slightly at his sides. He turned his gaze from the room full of vampires to my mother and I. "This is my family," He placed his hand to my cheek before standing and addressing the room, "If the Volturi will not listen to the truth, then I will fight for my family. I won't ask any of you to do the same or put your lives on the line. But, Vladimir and Stefan are right. Aro is known for his love of collecting. Who's to say that once he is done with us that he won't come after you?" He looked about the room, his eyes stopping on Tanya, then Amun, Siobhan, and Senna. "Even if the 'threat' of my family is destroyed, what is to keep Aro from doing the same with your covens? From collecting Kate, or Benjamin, or Maggie, or Zafrina or anyone with a gift? This is my family. I will protect them for as long as I can. But who will protect yours after Aro has wiped us all out?" He asked, the room taking on an eerie silence. "I should not ask you to stand with me, with us, but I am. If it comes down to a battle, will you stand by us?"

I swallowed, my fingers curling tightly into the material of Jacob's shirt, his rushed heartbeat pounding against my fist as one-by-one, heads began to nod.

It was Tanya and Kate who spoke first, their eyes full of apologies for their sister, Irina's, actions. "We will stand by you."

"As will we," voiced Carmen with an agreeing nod from Eleazar.

"They don't call us the fightin' Irish for nothin'!" exclaimed Liam, his strong shoulders solid and his head held high.

"Yes," Hissed the Romanian duo, sending an uneasy chill through my veins.

"You all have a death wish," grumbled Amun, his head shaking with his disapproval as he and his mate rose to their feet. "Come along, Tia. Benjam-""

"I will stay." Benjamin interrupted, his eyes once again holding that indescribable glint as his lips pulled up into a small smile.

"Wh-What?" Amun sputtered, his crimson eyes widening with his obvious disbelief.

"Edward is right. Even if he does succeed, Aro will not stop with the Cullen's." He and Tia shared a look before he stood and crossed the room, opening his hand – revealing a small bit of dirt in the palm of his hand - when he was standing before me. "We are all family," He continued, his eyes moving from mine to the small pile in his hand just as the tiniest bit of green began to sprout within his palm. "We do not turn our back on our family." He concluded, using his free hand to cup my hands in my lap before sliding the freshly grown flower into my hands.


End file.
